


Tik-Tok Man

by esteefee



Category: Hawaii Five-0 (2010)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-03-31
Updated: 2011-03-31
Packaged: 2017-10-17 10:10:49
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 471
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/175718
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/esteefee/pseuds/esteefee
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>He runs on clockwork springs.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Tik-Tok Man

**Author's Note:**

> This is sort of an accompaniment to [Winding Down](http://archiveofourown.org/works/174434).

Danny jokes around a lot, and he thinks Steve takes him for a clown; or maybe not—something about the way Steve watches him sometimes, eyes dark and a little too serious, maybe not, maybe not. But then Steve always is a little too serious, for all he makes with the dry humor and wit. Like he thinks Danny doesn't notice. Like he figures Danny was kidding when he was kidding, all those digs about being a machine, about mammals needing warmth, or him not being held when he was a baby.

But, no, Danny wasn't fooling, not even a little—he honest-to-God can almost see it, big Jack sitting young Steve down after the "car accident" and giving it to him straight, how he had to be a grown up now, as if Steve were ever anything else. Yin and Yang, Danny figures, whichever the dark one was, that was Steve, to Mary's light, and she got away with everything while the toy soldier buckled down, toed the line, got the grades and the trophies and tried, tried, tried to make a gleam catch in his father's eyes, the spark that he never once got.

So, Danny, now, he sparks. He rough-houses, and touches and holds. He sees the confused delight that flits over Steve's face, there and then gone, and the way Steve reaches out more and more, helpless to stop, making Danny's heart giddy with—he'll call it that, yeah, he can call it like it is—crazy, fucked-up love for this guy, this Tik-Tok man, broken-down workings and all.

"It doesn't matter," Danny says, when Steve tries to say it back, voice rusted out and creaking, hand clenched tight on the back of Danny's shirt. "I got it," Danny growls. "What am I, stupid?"

And Steve huffs a rueful laugh, pressing his cheek against Danny's. Steve is all bones and edges, hard muscle and soft skin. His short hair bristles against Danny's neck as he pulls Danny down onto the couch.

"You? Goin' easy on me? That's a change." Steve squeezes him once, too hard, then lets up.

"Maybe I'm lulling you into a false sense of security. You think of that?"

Steve's smile is too wide and fond, so Danny knows he's giving it all away. But that's just fine and dandy. It's all part of the grand master plan, the one where Steve gloms onto the fact he's not just a cog, a tool, a toy to work perfectly for twenty years before they throw him on the trash heap as broken and obsolete.

It's the same one where Danny doesn't break his fucking heart watching.

"Come here," Danny says, "so I can wind you up right."

And if Steve looks confused, that's okay. He'll get it eventually.

Danny will make sure of it.

  
 _End._

**Author's Note:**

> If you've never read the book: [Tik-Tok](http://oz.wikia.com/wiki/Tik-Tok). Such a heartbreaking character.


End file.
